Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 04.djvu/176

 FOSTER

FOSTER

Baptist church at Saratoga Springs, N.Y., 1887; professor of pliilosopliy at McMasters university, Toronto, Canada, 1892-9.5; associate professor of systematic theology in the University of Chicago, 1895-97, and in 1897 was made full professor. He received tlie degree of Ph.D. from Dennison university, Ohio, in 1893.

FOSTER, Henry Allen, senator, was born in Hartford, Conn., May 7, 1800. When a boy he removed to Cazenovia, N.Y., and in 1833 was admitted to the New York bar. He was in the state senate, 1831-34 and 1841-4-1, and represented liis district in the 35th congress, 1837-39. He was U.S. senator, 1844-45, appointed as successor to Silas Wright, resigned, and was succeeded by John A. Dix. He was a delegate to the Demo- cratic convention of 1848 that nominated Lewis Cass for president; and judge of the New York supreme court, fifth district, 1863-09. He was a member of the board of trustees of Hamilton college, 1836-89, vice-president of the American colonization society, and a member of the "Al- bany Regency." The honorary degree of LL.D. was conferred upon him by Hamilton college in 1860. He died In Rome, N.Y., May 12, 1889.

FOSTER, Herbert Darling, educator, was born in West Newbur}', Mass., June 22, 1863; son of the Rev. Davis and Harriet Louisa (Darling) Foster ; and grandson of Richard and Irene (Burroughs) Foster and of Henry and Eliza (Cobb) Darling. He was graduated at Phillips Exeter academy in 1881 and at Dartmouth col- lege, A B., 1885, and A.M., 1888. He held a Morgan fellowship in history in Harvard gradu- ate school, 1891-93; received the degree of A.M. from Harvard in 1893, and studied and T;ravelled in Europe, 1893-94. He taught history at Worces- ter academy, Mass., 1885-91, organizing that department in 1888 with the position of in- structor in hi.story and German, 1888-91. He was elected the first professor of histoiy at Dartmouth college in 1893, with one year's leave of absence, and organized the new department in 1894. He was married, July 7, 1897, to Lillian Darlington Smitli of Liverpool, England.

FOSTER, Isaac, surgeon, was born in Charles- town, Mass., about 1740. He was graduated at Harvard in 1758, studied medicine in England, and was surgeon in the Continental army, serving at Concord, Bunker Hill, and in charge of the hospital at Cambridge. He was, by appointment of General Washington, director-general of the American hospital department until congress supplied the position by appointing Dr. Morgan. In 1777 Washington appointed him to take charge of the medical department of the east and he retired in 1780 by reason of ill health, but retained his commission till the close of the war. He died in Charlestown, Mass., iu Februar}', 1781.

FOSTER, James P., naval officer, was born in Bullit county, Ky., June 8, 1837. His parents removed with him to Bloomington, Ind., where he received his primary education. He was accepted as a midshipman in the navy in 1847, and was graduated at the U.S naval academy in 1854. He was promoted lieutenant in 1861, and lieutenant-commander in July, 1862, and in October, 1862, was assigned to the command of the Neosho of Admiral Porter's fleet, operating on the Mississippi river. He was in command of the ironclads Conestoga and Chillicothe, and was ordered with these two vessels to Cairo for repairs in June, 1868. He was in charge of the training ships at Annapolis, Md., after 1865, w^as promoted commander, and was with the Otireoki in the Brazilian squadron. There he contracted disease, was ordered home, and died at Indian- apolis, Ind., June 3, 1869.

FOSTER, Juhn, clergyman, was born in Western (now Warren), Mass., April 19, 1763; son of Nathan and Betty (Lansford) Foster; and grandson of Nathan and Hannah (Standish) Foster. He was graduated at Dartmouth, A.B., 1783, A.M., 1786. He was ordained the first pastor of the First Congregational society of Brighton, Nov. 1, 1784, his brother, the Rev. Joel Foster of New Salem, preaching the sermon. He resigned his pastorate, Oct. 31, 1837, and was succeeded by Daniel Austin. He was married in April, 1785, to Hannah, daughter of Grant Webster, and the author of "The Coquette; or History of Eliza Wharton," one of the earliest American novels. She died at Montreal, Canada, April 17, 1840, at the age of eighty-one years. Dr. Foster was one of the board of overseers of Harvard university aud was connected with various literary, benevolent and religious socie- ties. He received from Harvard the degree of A.M. in 1787 and that of D.D. in 181.5. Twenty- two of his discourses were published. He de- livered the annual discourse before the Roxbury charitable society, Sept. 16, 1799. A memorial window to the Rev. John Foster was placed in the new church in Brighton at its dedication in 1894. He died in Brighton, Mass., Sept. 16, 1829.

FOSTER, John Barton, educator, was born in Boston, Mass., Jan. 8, 1822; son of John May and Elizabeth ( Lowell) Merrill Foster. In 1 839 he removed with his parents to Waterville, Maine, where he was graduated from Waterville college in 1843. He was principal of the China, Maine, academy, 1844—45, and of the Lexington, Mass., academy, 184.5^6. In 1850 he was graduated from the Newton theological institution. Mass., and was editor of the Zion's Advocate, 1850-58. He was professor of Greek and Latin languages and literature at Waterville college, later Colby university, 1858-73, aud of Greek language and